Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii sees protagonist Goro Majima interacting with a mix of new characters and returning faces from throughout the Yakuza series. The new characters are extremely memorable and compelling, from the young boy Noah to Masaru the cook who seeks love, and especially Goro the tiger cub. But one new Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii character, Teruhiko Shigaki, is particularly fun due to his status as a sneaky cameo that perfectly suits Majima's first solo starring role.
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Teruhiko Shigaki's Connection To Majima Explained
Teruhiko Shigaki is an ex-yakuza who is introduced fairly early on in Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. Like Majima himself, he is a former yakuza who came to Nele Island to help clean up the radioactive materials left behind due to the actions of Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth's Palekana cult. He looks up to Majima, who initially does not remember him due to his amnesia, but the two characters eventually come into conflict because Shigaki is interested in claiming the same treasure Majima is seeking.
In Japanese, Shigaki is voiced by Munetaka Aoki, and his appearance is also modeled after Aoki's. Aoki is a well-known film and TV actor who has appeared in Godzilla Minus One, Rurouni Kenshin, The Decagon House Murders, and many other roles. In 2024, he played none other than Goro Majima himself in Amazon's live-action Like a Dragon: Yakuza, which drew inspiration from both the original Yakuza game and its 2016 remake Yakuza Kiwami.
Shigaki Serves As A Fascinating Foil To Majima
The inclusion of Aoki in Pirate Yakuza following his on-screen portrayal of the Mad Dog of Shimano is more than just a fun cameo - it further emphasizes Shigaki's status as a foil to Majima. Like Majima, Shigaki is an ex-yakuza who is skilled in combat and cares for his subordinates. Shigaki mentions that he idolizes Majima, and sees his "Mad Dog" image as a role model for the kind of yakuza that he wanted to be.
However, they are also quite different - Shigaki firmly believes that ex-yakuza will never be able to successfully re-integrate into society, and thus seeks the Treasure of the Esperanza for monetary reasons, as he is convinced it will allow him and his fellow ex-yakuza to live the comfortable lives "normal" society will never allow them to have. This is in contrast to Majima's genuinely selfless motive: he wants the treasure to heal Noah's asthma.
In many ways, Shigaki is reminiscent of Majima prior to the character development the latter experiences throughout the Yakuza series and particularly in Pirate Yakuza. Late in the game, he kidnaps Noah in order to force Majima's hand - a move reminiscent of Majima once kidnapping Haruka Sawamura in one of his many bids to get Kazuma Kiryu to fight him. The conflict between the two ultimately highlights how far Majima has come since he was simply the man who would do anything for a fight, with the Goromaru's captain prioritizing the safety of his crew and his new friend at every turn.
At the end of the game, Shigaki is left questioning his own beliefs and ideals following his experience with Majima - perhaps hinting that he, much like Majima himself, may return in future Yakuza titles as a changed man. The casting of Munetaka Aoki, who has portrayed Majima in his full "Mad Dog" Yakuza and Kiwami glory, as Shigaki was an extremely effective choice that further highlights the fact that the two characters serve as foils to one another. Hopefully, fans will get to see more of Aoki as Shigaki as the series continues - perhaps journeying from antagonist to ally and truly following the path of his idol Goro Majima.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 81 /100 Critics Rec: 84%
- Released
- February 21, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Blood, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio
- Publisher(s)
- Sega
